Indy Blog

Rockies Today, Sept. 30

Idaho has big stake in federal highway funding fightMore than two-thirds of Idaho's annual spending on highway and bridge construction projects comes from the federal government, and with the federal highway trust fund predicted to run out of money by 2015 and Congress at loggerheads about raising the federal gasoline tax to keep funds flowing into the fund, the Gem State could have to put projects on hold should the federal funding dry up.Idaho Statesman; Sept. 29

Flathead NF in Montana updating Flathead River management planThe management plan for all three forks of the Flathead River in Montana is 33 years old, and two years ago, rangers began interviewing river users they encountered to begin work on updating the Wild and Scenic River management plan for river.Kalispell Daily InterLake; Sept. 30

Healthy Forests bill would increase logging in Montana national forestsThe U.S. House-passed Restoring Healthy Forests for Healthy Communities Act would require a sixfold increase in national forests, including the nine in Montana, where harvest levels in the Bitterroot forest would increase from 11 million board feet to 21 million board feet.Missoulian; Sept. 29

SITLA puts some Utah energy leases on holdLast Thursday, the School and Institutional Trust Lands Administration (SITLA) announced it was putting some energy leases in the Utah Book Cliffs area on hold and will create an advisory committee to address the impacts of natural resources after the board voted to amend its agreement with Anadarko that sparked considerable controversy.Salt Lake Tribune; Sept. 30

Oil, gas industry peg cost of Wyoming groundwater testing at $18KAt a meeting Friday of the Wyoming Legislature's Joint Minerals, Business and Economic Development Interim Committee, Gov. Matt Mead's natural resources policy adviser, Jerimiah Rieman, said the oil and gas industry have calculated the cost of testing four water sources within a half-mile of each well drilled at $18,000.Casper Star-Tribune; Sept. 29

B.C., Alberta working on pipeline dealTop officials of both British Columbia and Alberta said that the two provinces are nearing an agreement that would clear the way for a pipeline to carry Alberta crude to the coast of B.C. for export to Asian markets.Toronto Globe and Mail; Sept. 30

Idaho to survey residents about fish-eating habitsThe Idaho Department of Environmental Quality will hire a contractor to conduct a survey of residents and those who hold fishing licenses to learn more about Idahoans' fish consumption habits as part of a larger water-quality study to help the state set pollution limits.Idaho Statesman; Sept. 28

Mountain West News is a project of the Center for the Rocky Mountain West at The University of Montana. It provides a daily snapshot of news and opinion in the Rocky Mountain region of North America, giving the changing mountain West a tool to understand itself and a platform for the exchange of ideas.